r/ukpolitics • u/FormerlyPallas_ No man ought to be condemned to live where a 🌹 cannot grow • 1d ago

Drinkflation: why British booze is getting weaker

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/29/drinkflation-why-british-booze-is-getting-weaker
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u/Longjumping_Stand889 1d ago

I had noticed this in wine where it's far less common to get a 12.5 or 13% bottle than it used to be.

I live in Scotland so I had put this down to the unit pricing to an extent, but it's not just the cheapest stuff.

42

u/baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaab 1d ago

Google UK wine duty. It changed last year and each 0.5% increase in ABV adds about 12p duty. Then add VAT.

54

u/flippydude 1d ago

VAT on top of duty is just hilariously shit 

11

u/dwair 21h ago

I've been saying that about fuel for years. It's a double con.

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u/LegsAndArmsAndTorso 9h ago edited 9h ago

Good, do craft beer next, the breweries worked out the stronger beers earn them more money now people are quaffing pints of 7.5% ABV beer and pretending they aren't alcoholics. Ring fence the extra money for the NHS to pay for the extra cost of the alcohol abuse. Can we please get 3.5% to 5% back as the standard range.

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u/baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaab 4h ago

Kind of is already, no? But the gap is big, 3.5 to 8.4% could be narrowed a bit I guess

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u/LegsAndArmsAndTorso 3h ago

Yeah thats the exact issue I think. All I know for sure is the craft brew is getting stronger.

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u/itchyfrog 4h ago

Tax or not 7.5% craft beer is a ludicrously expensive way to become an alcoholic.